Child Care Provider
Salary

Child Care Providers in the United States are largely women. The group as a whole has a nationwide average of $9.43 per hour for pay. Compensation ranges between $7.42 per hour and $14.77. Medical benefits are awarded to one-seventh, and roughly a tenth earn dental coverage. For the most part, Child Care Providers enjoy their work and report high levels of job satisfaction. The information for this snapshot was generated by responses to the PayScale salary survey.

XTotal Pay combines base annual salary or hourly wage, bonuses, profit sharing, tips, commissions, overtime pay and other forms of cash earnings, as applicable for this job. It does not include equity (stock) compensation, cash value of retirement benefits, or the value of other non-cash benefits (e.g. healthcare).

XTotal Pay combines base annual salary or hourly wage, bonuses, profit sharing, tips, commissions, overtime pay and other forms of cash earnings, as applicable for this job. It does not include equity (stock) compensation, cash value of retirement benefits, or the value of other non-cash benefits (e.g. healthcare).

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Job Description for Child Care Provider

Child care providers supervise children in a facility, providing education and keep them safe until the guardians return. These professionals must provide engaging activities that are age appropriate and promote appropriate behavior. Their typical day consists of welcoming the children in the morning and taking attendance, followed by directly working with the children for the remainder of the day; these interactions could include guided play, free play, education, and meals. At the end of the day, logs must be maintained to show exactly what the children did and if any educational progress was made; these logs are typically shared with the guardians when the children are picked up.

Child care providers usually work indoors, but often activities take place outdoors if the weather is appropriate. There is quite a bit of physical activity in this position, such as picking up children, running with them during play, and maintaining a high energy level to keep the children engaged. Occasionally, child care providers are expected to assist in medical emergencies as they occur. Safety must be at the forefront of providers' minds, and they must constantly evaluate the environment for potential safety concerns. Although child care providers work mainly with children, they also work with guardians and management.

Child care providers are generally required to have a high school diploma or equivalent, but an associate’s degree is often preferred. They must have recently completed proper safety training, which usually includes CPR and Child Care First Aid. Several years' experience working with children is required for any child care provider.

Child Care Provider Tasks

Interact with other adults, including parents and fellow child care workers, on behalf of children.

Common Career Paths for Child Care Provider

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While Child Care Providers do not often become Directors of Child Care, the job pays $32K per year on average. However, it's more common for Child Care Providers to move into roles as Administrative Assistants or Daycare Teachers.

Child Care / Day Care Worker Job Listings

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This chart shows the most popular skills for this job and what effect each skill has on pay.

Job skills reported by Child Care Providers are limited. Curriculum Planning and Activities for Children are considered valuable skills and can increase employee pay. Skills that seem to negatively impact pay include Activities for Children.

Pay by Experience Level for Child Care Provider

Median of all compensation (including tips, bonus, and overtime) by years of experience.

Child Care Providers with more experience do not necessarily bring home bigger paychecks. In fact, experience in this field tends to impact compensation minimally. Survey participants with less than five years' experience pocket $19K on average, but those with five to 10 years of experience enjoy a much bigger median of $20K. Child Care Providers see a median salary of $21K after reaching one to two decades on the job. Child Care Providers who have acquired more than two decades of experience generally do see greater compensation; their average income is approximately $22K.